Billu's Owners Open Spiced at Barangaroo

One of Sydney’s oldest and most popular Indian restaurants moves into the CBD.

Photography: Steven Woodburn

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Photography: Steven Woodburn

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Photography: Steven Woodburn

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Published on 02 May 2017

by Nicholas Jordan

Most of the openings on the Barangaroo waterfront so far have come from big-name chefs or are new concepts. Spiced has a different story. It’s a new, rebranded branch of Billu’s, a restaurant not particularly well known around the CBD but famous in Harris Park for serving some of the best North Indian cuisine in Sydney.

“The guys doing the lease approached me. They knew my restaurant in Harris Park, maybe from Google or the Indian community,” says Billu Singh. “They asked me to do the same thing we are doing in Harris Park. The same taste and style. The [main] difference is in the service and a few small changes [to the design].”

The rebranding decision is mostly an effort to fit in with the corporate vibe at Barangaroo. Instead of the old-school plastic crockery, metal plates and bright lights at Billu’s, Spiced has ceramic bowls, hanging lamps, cocktails and a feature wall of terracotta tiles.

All the popular North Indian classics have made their way here, along with a few specials. There are staples such as butter chicken, kebabs, paneer tikka masala and samosas. As well as a thick, tangy and tender British-style goat curry; a lamb shank braised in lamb gravy dusted in coriander and mint; and thalis (platters of different dishes). “We will be introducing chilli prawns and tawa chicken (a baked chicken served on the streets in North India). These are both really popular for drinking,” says Singh.

The major difference (ironically, considering the name) is the general spice level. Unfortunately for fans of the Harris Park original, the intensity of spice and chilli here is diluted. Singh says that was intentional, to cater to the new customer base, but he is open to feedback on whether people want the spice cranked up or not.